Quote Originally Posted by Simmi View Post
They don't turn the wheel or push the brake pedal themselves? Have you any idea how much force it takes to get an F1 car stopped for example?

Definition of an "athlete": a person trained or gifted in exercises or contests involving physical agility, stamina, or strength; a participant in a sport, exercise, or game requiring physical skill.

I'm with Matt on this. 100% these guys are athletes. Google 'Nismo Athlete' and you'll see this is the way Nissan refer to their works drivers.
I find it disappointing that you reduce the skill of a rallydriver to nothing more than physical agility, stamina and physical strength. I would say the skills of a rallydriver are things like coordination, balance, anticipation, risk-assement and intelligence. None of these things are captured in the word 'athlete'.